Auto Clutch Damage

[SPYDERJEFF]

Most of you know but its worth repeating. We are seeing (via diagnostic reports on our customer units) many Spyders that are being riden below 3000rpms during cruise. This is BAD,BAD and BAD. It can result in complete failure and destruction of the clutch. Critical with the auto clutch that cruise is above 3000rpms to prevent the clutch from sliping which results in heavy wear,heavy heat and failure. We just had one in where the friction plates expolded and it was a mess. After B.U.D.S diag on the machine we found it was run below 3000rpms nearly 50% of the time. NOT GOOD! We are starting to see this of late thus I thought I would send out a little note for those that may not know.


Jeff

[ARtraveler]

Thank you for the informational post. I am sure there are some that are doing running with cruise under 3000 rpms.

[Phil]

Great reminder Jeff. I am now a reformed <3000-er.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[fastfraser]

5500 almost all the time .

[NancysToy]

Thanks Jeff! I have been preaching about this for a while now, and so has Lamont. It's nice to hear it from a pro. You are a valued resource to this community. I hope our members are listening.

[Bob Denman]

Well I'm one of those "Low and Slwo" guys... I'll see if I can bump the rpms up a bit... Thanks!

[docdoru]

....many Spyders that are being riden below 3000rpms during cruise. This is BAD,BAD and BAD. It can result in complete failure and destruction of the clutch.
Jeff

Thanks Jeff! I have been preaching about this for a while now, and so has Lamont. It's nice to hear it from a pro. You are a valued resource to this community. I hope our members are listening.

I don't preach, just ryde
Jeff, would BRP like this RPM profile?

[scooterexpress]

Most of you know but its worth repeating. We are seeing (via diagnostic reports on our customer units) many Spyders that are being riden below 3000rpms during cruise. This is BAD,BAD and BAD. It can result in complete failure and destruction of the clutch. Critical with the auto clutch that cruise is above 3000rpms to prevent the clutch from sliping which results in heavy wear,heavy heat and failure. We just had one in where the friction plates expolded and it was a mess. After B.U.D.S diag on the machine we found it was run below 3000rpms nearly 50% of the time. NOT GOOD! We are starting to see this of late thus I thought I would send out a little note for those that may not know.


Jeff

are you just reffering to setting the cruise control at the 3k mark or riding the spyder at 3k or less? but what if your are stuck in traffic or just riding around the neighborhood going nice and slow how does this effect all this? just clarify all of this i don't want to be doing something i shouldnt be doing. thanks

[ulflyer]

Why don't they reset the computers so it downshifts earlier?
AFAIC thats the point of having an auto trans that downshifts when needed.

[Bob Denman]

I don't preach, just ryde
Jeff, would BRP like this RPM profile?

They're probably ready to put you on the roadrace team... if it ever happens!

[docdoru]

...still waiting for Jeff's answer.

[Bob Denman]

In any event; I think that your clutch plates will never suffer from "low rpm" damage!

[Huntindawg1962]

Docdoru - how do you get that diagnostic graph? Gotta have access to the BUDS software?

[docdoru]

Docdoru - how do you get that diagnostic graph? Gotta have access to the BUDS software?

Request print from Service.

[vrodrjs]

Most of you know but its worth repeating. We are seeing (via diagnostic reports on our customer units) many Spyders that are being riden below 3000rpms during cruise. This is BAD,BAD and BAD. It can result in complete failure and destruction of the clutch. Critical with the auto clutch that cruise is above 3000rpms to prevent the clutch from sliping which results in heavy wear,heavy heat and failure. We just had one in where the friction plates expolded and it was a mess. After B.U.D.S diag on the machine we found it was run below 3000rpms nearly 50% of the time. NOT GOOD! We are starting to see this of late thus I thought I would send out a little note for those that may not know.


Jeff

Coming off a Harley Street Glide, it took me a while to get used to the high RPM’s of the Spyder. Shifting early is a hard habit to break.

[boborgera]

Coming off a Harley Street Glide, it took me a while to get used to the high RPM’s of the Spyder. Shifting early is a hard habit to break.

I went the opposite way 'Spyder to a Tri Glide, Keept on bounceing off the red line, So i did a stage 1 to bring the red line to 63 hunderd.

[daveinva]

After B.U.D.S diag on the machine we found it was run below 3000rpms nearly 50% of the time.

I always chuckle at the RPM threads because there are always people defending running the Spyder at low RPMs. Ummm, this is what happens when you ignore the manual, folks. (Not to mention our advice!)

Look, I know we're all focused on gas mileage (that stuff ain't cheap). And for some new riders, they come from a low RPM world and for some reason wish to stay there. Maybe they're just not wearing earplugs?

Don't lug engines. Lugging is bad.

[BajaRon]

I don't preach, just ryde
Jeff, would BRP like this RPM profile?

You don't count Doc because you don't have a throttle, just an on off switch! You ride like it was the space shuttle! Once it's switched on it's 100% and there is no shutting it off!

[BajaRon]

I always chuckle at the RPM threads because there are always people defending running the Spyder at low RPMs. Ummm, this is what happens when you ignore the manual, folks. (Not to mention our advice!)

Look, I know we're all focused on gas mileage (that stuff ain't cheap). And for some new riders, they come from a low RPM world and for some reason wish to stay there. Maybe they're just not wearing earplugs?

Don't lug engines. Lugging is bad.

The whole idea is to ride the machine the way it was engineered to be ridden. Running a Spyder at 3,000 RPM will give you the same effect as running a Harley at 7,000 rpm, BUSTED STUFF!

It's your ride so do what you want, just don't complain if you ignore the manual and it doesn't work out for you.

Try riding a Harley at 7 grand day in and day out and then complaining to your dealer when it breaks. Guess what he is going to tell you! Same-Same for the Spyder only in the other direction.

[Bob Denman]

You don't count Doc because you don't have a throttle, just an on off switch! You ride like it was the space shuttle! Once it's switched on it's 100% and there is no shutting it off!

[Dudley]

OK, I have been thinking of saying this for some time, so here goes. Scotty is right...he, Lamont, myself and many others have posted about riding the Spyder with the trans in the wrong gear (like 5th gear doing 30 mph) and claiming that the Spyder runs just fine. But, like it was posted, it's your ride, so when the trans or whole engine goes belly up, don't complain about how trashy the Spyder is.
A person spends over $20,000 for a Spyder then complains about how much gas it uses, how fast the rear tire wears out, and the cost of the up keep, etc. If you can't afford the tires or the gas or the up keep, why did you buy the Spyder? Like anything else we own, we have to budget our Spyder needs. Complaining about it won't change the fact that the Spyder is what it is.

[retread]

One more thing about short shifting and low revs...I read an article recently about a service manager working on a Triumph Thunderbird, it was making a clanking noise when running. Pulled the engine, pulled the head, carbon built up on the pistons to the point the valves were contacting it, caused by not blowing the cobwebs out. Tractors can run slow, what we ryde can't.

john

[BajaRon]

You have to operate the machine as designed or you're not going to be happy with the results.

For example, I used to ride a fast street bike on my days off and drive a fire engine at work. I rode the street bike hard with the throttle wide open all the time, but with my fire engine.... Oh, wait.... Not a good analogy! Sorry, forget what I said....

[Grandpa Spyder]

You have to operate the machine as designed or you're not going to be happy with the results.

For example, I used to ride a fast street bike on my days off and drive a fire engine at work. I rode the street bike hard with the throttle wide open all the time, but with my fire engine.... Oh, wait.... Not a good analogy! Sorry, forget what I said....

Thats right I was a fireman for 34 years and beleive me he drove the fire engine the same way he did the MC.

[BajaRon]

Thats right I was a fireman for 34 years and beleive me he drove the fire engine the same way he did the MC.

Hey now! Public safety and the safety of my crew always came first!

Ok, well, it was right up there near the top....

Hmmm.... I am sure it was somewhere on the list... now, where is that list...